Boot and shoe



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f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATI-IANIEL COLVER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

BOOT AND SHOE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,662, dated September 12, 1854.

To all wh-0m t may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL CoLvER, of the city of Detroit and countyof Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Methodof Manufacturing Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and explicit description thereof, reference beinghad to accompanying drawings and to letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the substitution of wood for soleleather in the construction of a boot or shoe, and the manner of unitingthel same wipi the upper leather in its construction. l In construct-inga boot or shoe, I take a piece of suchlirm and durable wood asI chooseand carveit into the perfect shape of the entire bottom of the boot orshoe. VSee Figure 1. The upper side, (or place of the inner sole, if theboot were made of leather) I scoop out so as to sit natural and easy t0the bottom of the foot. See letter A, Fig. l. Around the upper and outeredge of it, I cut a groove or rabbet (except in the shank) about threeeighths of an inch deep, and in width according to the thickness of theupper leather to be used. Seeletter B, Fig. 1. In the shank I cut therabbet or groove the same as elsewhere, only I extend the rabbet aroundthe edge of the sole and partially on to its bottom. See letter C, Fig.l. The heel of the boot or shoe is carved upon the same piecel of woodextending downward. See letter D, Fig. l. The piece or bottom thuscarved is then made fast to an ordinary last by means of a screw driventhrough the last and attaching it to the same. The upper leather of theboot or shoe is then, as it is called, lasted-that is, drawn over thelast and the edges carefully fitted so as to rest upon the groove orrabbet (save in the shank) where it is fastened with nails. See letterA, Fig. 2. In the shank a projection of the leather is made to extendaround the edge partially upon the bottom, where, in addition to theregular course of nails with which it is fastened all around, anotherrow (more or less) of nails is added. See letter B, Fig. 2. The objectof this extension and additional fastening in t-he shank is to givefirmness and strength at this part of the boot or shoe, where thegreater part of the strain comes. By this method, I get a boot or shoefor the mechanic, farmer or laboring man of equal comfort to the footand of far greater durability than the ordinary kind,4

and moreover, it is a perfect safeguard to the foot from harm, andespecially from water-against the lat-ter it is a perfect de fense.

I do not claim the use of wood, as soles, or bottoms of boots or shoes,as used by the peasantry of France or Germany, when worn as sandals orshoes, made entirely of wood, and I hereby disclaim any such pretension;but

What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The co-nstruction of boots and shoes, (with uppers as now constructed inthe United States) with a wooden instead of a leather sole, or bottom,attached to t-he leather uppers, as above described, or in anyequivalent Inanner, for the purpose above set forth.

NATHANIEL COLVER. [ns] In presence of- WM. A. Moons, T. S. BLACKMAR.

